Multifunctional Utility Belt Attachment Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus includes a radio-holster swivel and a drop-leg extender. The radio-holster swivel that secures a carry case for a two-way radio or any other communication device is connected atop the drop-leg extender. The drop-leg extender secures additional equipment to the multifunctional utility belt attachment as a quick release mechanism of the drop-leg extender accepts the additional equipment. The quick release mechanism provides easy access to the attached equipment so that the users are able to carry the two-way radio and the additional equipment on his or her utility belt.

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/879,794 filed on Sep. 19, 2013.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to load-bearing mechanisms and systems. More specifically, the present invention is a drop leg extender integrated with a two-way radio holster for securing equipment to a utility belt.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Utility belts are commonly worn when a user frequently requires quick and convenient access to a wide variety of equipment. This allows the user to store the equipment directly on his or her person in lieu of storing the equipment within a bag. Utility belts are worn by a diverse user base including, but not limited to, law enforcement personnel, correctional officers, military personnel, and construction personnel. Common types of equipment worn on utility belts include, but are not limited to, flashlights, tools, ammunition pouches, first aid kits, tasers, and gas masks. Pieces of equipment are generally stored within their own designated pouches or holsters. The pouches and holsters typically comprise a means of attachment for securing the pouches and holsters to the utility belt, most often by looping the belt through corresponding openings present on the pouches and holsters. It is also common to utilize a drop leg extender to secure bulkier pieces of equipment to a utility belt without burdening the user. Drop leg extenders generally feature a quick release mechanism comprising a female buckle that is secured to the utility belt. A corresponding male buckle is attached to a piece of equipment that the user wishes to attach to the utility belt. The quick release buckle assembly allows the user to quickly remove the equipment when needed as well as easily reattach the equipment following use. The present invention seeks to enhance and improve upon currently available and conventional drop leg extenders for securing equipment to utility belts.

The present invention is a radio-holster swivel-integrated drop-leg extender for securing equipment to a utility belt. The present invention comprises a radio-holster swivel with integrated strap and female buckle. The radio-holster swivel's position on the utility belt may be adjusted as desired by a user. The female buckle of the present invention corresponds with a male buckle with integrated strap. The male buckle and integrated strap may be secured to a piece of equipment that the user wishes to attach to a utility belt. The integrated straps of the female buckle and the male buckle allow the user to extend the equipment below the utility belt and along his or her leg. This positioning of the equipment is particularly beneficial for bulkier items as the equipment may be worn without becoming a burden to the user. The quick release buckle mechanism of the male and female buckle allows the user to quickly and conveniently remove the equipment as needed by separating the male buckle and attached piece of equipment from the female buckle and the radio-holster swivel. Following use, the user may easily reattach the equipment by joining the female buckle and male buckle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the carabiner.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the exploded view of the quick release mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the first alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the first alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the second alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the second alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is a multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus that allows the user of the present invention to carry additional equipment within a conventional utility belt. The present invention is primarily intended for use with the conventional utility belts that are commonly worn by a wide variety of users. The present invention is versatile and may be employed by a diverse user base including, but not limited to, law enforcement personnel, correctional officers, military personnel, and construction personnel. In reference to FIG. 1-9, the present invention comprises a drop-leg extender 11 and a radio-holster swivel 1, where the radio-holster swivel 1 is positioned atop the drop-leg extender 11 and they are connected to each other. The user may adjust the positioning of the radio-holster swivel 1 along with the drop-leg extender 11 as preferred. The present invention is particularly beneficial for bulkier equipment as the drop-leg extender 11 allows the user to carry the bulkier equipment on his or her utility belt without causing burden to the user. More specifically, the drop-leg extender 11 allows the user to secure the additional equipment to which he or she may require quick access while the radio-holster swivel 1 secures the two-way radio or any other type of similar communication device. Since the drop-leg extender 11 is integrated with the radio-holster swivel 1, the user is not required to secure an additional attachment component to his or her utility belt in order to conveniently carry and access the additional equipment. The radio-holster swivel 1 and the drop-leg extender 11 are secured to the utility belt and may be worn in conjunction with various other accessories on the utility belt, equipment on the utility belt, and with or in lieu of various other types of load-bearing equipment such as vests, harnesses, and any other similar systems.

The radio-holster swivel 1 generally secures a carry case to the utility belt so that the user of the present invention is able to secure the two-way radio within the carry case. In reference to FIG. 1-4, the radio-holster swivel 1 comprises an attachment member 2 and a swivel head receiver 10 as the attachment member 2 and the swivel head receiver 10 form the body of the radio-holster swivel 1. The swivel head receiver 10 is connected onto the attachment member 2 so that the radio-holster swivel 1 can be secured to the utility belt by the attachment member 2, and the carry case can be secured to the utility belt by the swivel head receiver 10. The attachment member 2 comprises a front portion 3 and a rear portion 4, where the front portion 3 and the rear portion 4 are oppositely positioned from the each other along the attachment member 2. The attachment member 2 is preferably made from leather, synthetic material, or nylon material to enhance the durability of the attachment member 2. The attachment member 2 further comprises a first lower extremity and a second lower extremity, where the attachment member 2 extends from the first lower extremity to the second lower extremity. The swivel head receiver 10 is mounted onto the front portion 3 in such a way that the swivel head is oppositely positioned from the rear portion 4. The swivel head receiver 10 is formed to secure different types of carry cases, where the swivel head receiver 10 allows the attached carry case to twist and rotate freely while the present invention is utilized by the user. The swivel head receiver 10 is preferably made from high strength plastic, metal, or combination of thereof so that the swivel head is able to withstand the constant pressure applied from the carry case.

In reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 7, and FIG. 9, the drop-leg extender 11 that secures the additional equipment to the utility belt comprises an extender strap 12 and a quick release mechanism 15. The extender strap 12 is adjacently connected to the releasing mechanism as the extender strap 12 comprises a top half 13 and a bottom half 14. The top half 13 and the bottom half 14 are adjacently positioned with each other along the extender strap 12 so that the drop-leg extender 11 can be correctly positioned within the present invention. The extender strap 12 is preferably made from leather, synthetic material, or nylon material to enhance the durability of the drop-leg extender 11.

In reference to FIG. 4, FIG. 6, and FIG. 8, the connection between the radio-holster swivel 1 and the drop-leg extender 11 is completed by the attachment member 2 and the extender strap 12 within the present invention. The top half 13 of the extender strap 12 is firmly connected with the attachment member 2 so that the radio-holster swivel 1 can be connected with the quick release mechanism 15 through the extender strap 12. More specifically, the first lower extremity and the second lower extremity jointly connect with the top half 13 of the extender strap 12 in such a way that the top half 13 of the extender strap 12 is positioned in between the first lower extremity and the second lower extremity. Then the bottom half 14 of the extender strap 12 is pivotally connected with the quick release mechanism 15 in such a way that the quick release mechanism 15 is oppositely positioned from the attachment member 2 along the extender strap 12.

The quick release mechanism 15 comprises a male buckle and a female buckle. However, the drop-leg extender 11 is generally configured with the female buckle within the present invention as the female buckle can be easily located during the separation of the quick release mechanism 15. The female buckle and the corresponding male buckle of the quick release mechanism 15 are shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. More specifically, the bottom half 14 of the extender strap 12 is pivotally connected with the female buckle while the male buckle connects with one of the additional equipment that the user wishes to carry on his or her utility belt. Common types of additional equipment that may be attached to the male buckle include, but are not limited to, flashlights, tools, ammunition pouches, first aid kits, tasers, equipment bags, and gas masks, as well as other types of equipment to which the user may require quick access. The drop-leg extender 11 ensures that the additional equipment secured to the utility belt via the quick release mechanism 15 is not burdensome to the user, particularly when the user is active. Since the female buckle and the male buckle can be easily joined and separated, the quick release mechanism 15 provides an ideal connection point in between the present invention and the additional equipment. For example, the quick release mechanism 15 allows the user to quickly remove and use the additional equipment attached to the radio-holster swivel 1 as needed by separating the male buckle from the female buckle. After use, the user may conveniently reattach the respective additional equipment to the utility belt by joining the female buckle and the male buckle.

Even though the bottom half 14 of the extender strap 12 is generally connected with the female buckle within the present invention, the bottom half 14 of the extender strap 12 can also be connected with the male buckle while the female buckle attaches with the additional equipment. The quick release mechanism 15 is preferably made from high strength plastic, metal, or combination of thereof so that the quick release mechanism 15 is able to withstand the constant pressure acts upon the male buckle and the female buckle during the separation and the joining process of the quick release mechanism 15.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1-FIG. 5, where the attachment member 2 of the preferred embodiment is a belt-loop attachment 5 so that the utility belt can be inserted through the belt-loop attachment 5 to secure the radio-holster swivel 1 with the utility belt. The preferred embodiment further comprises a secondary attachment 16 to secure extra equipment. The secondary attachment 16 is connected to the radio-holster swivel 1 and the drop-leg extender 11 and adjacently positioned in between the radio-holster swivel 1 and the drop-leg extender 11. The secondary attachment 16 comprises a stationary member 17 and a fastening member 18. The stationary member 17 is firmly connected with the attachment member 2 and the extender strap 12 while the fastening member 18 is pivotally attached with the stationary member 17. The fastening member 18 allows the user to secure at least one extra equipment to the present invention, where the fastening member 18 can include, but is not limited to, a D-ring and a carabiner, an interlocking member, a spring loaded fastener, or any other related fastening devices.

A first alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, where the attachment member 2 of the first alternative embodiment is a belt-loop attachment 5 so that the utility belt can be inserted through the belt-loop attachment 5 to secure the radio-holster swivel 1 with the utility belt. The first alternative embodiment provides similar component configuration as the preferred embodiment, but does not utilize the secondary attachment 16. Since the first alternative embodiment does not provide the secondary attachment 16, the first alternative embodiment is able to represent a simplified configuration of the present invention.

A second alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, where the attachment member 2 of the second alternative embodiment is a belt-fastening attachment 6 that comprises a first strap 7 and a second strap 8. More specifically, the first strap 7 and the second strap 8 are positioned on the rear portion 4 in such a way that the first strap 8 is adjacently connected with the front portion 3, and the second strap 8 is adjacently connected with the extender strap 12. In order to secure the attachment member 2 within the second alternative embodiment, the first strap 7 and the second strap 8 are attached to each other by a fastening mechanism 9. The fastening mechanism 9 of the second alternative embodiment can include, but is not limited to, a hook-and-loop fastener, a button fastener, or a snap button fastener. The fastening mechanism 9 of the second alternative embodiment allows the user to easily secure the attachment member 2 to the utility belt or remove the attachment member 2 from the utility belt, without having to remove the utility belt. Since the fastening mechanism 9 is normally compressed in between the utility belt and waist of the user, the attachment member 2 of the second alternative embodiment is able to maintain a strong adhesion within the first strap 7 and the second strap 8.

The present invention is not limited with respect to the specific material of the radio-holster swivel 1, the drop-leg extender 11, and the secondary attachment 16. However, because various applications of the present invention may involve high levels of activity as well as exposure to the elements, it is important to ensure that the radio-holster swivel 1, the drop-leg extender 11, and the secondary attachment 16 of the present invention are durable.

The present invention can be really beneficial for law enforcement and corrections officers, as they are required to carry several items on their utility belt at all times while working. The law enforcement and corrections officers are normally trained to place specific equipment in specific locations of the utility belt so that they become accustom to those specific locations over time. During special operation law enforcement and corrections officers may need to secure specialty equipment to their utility belt. The present invention can be utilized in these special scenarios so that the law enforcement and corrections officers are able to secure the specialty equipment without having to move any other items of the utility belt. As a result, the law enforcement and corrections officers can save preparation time without having to compromise the specific locations of the specific equipment.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus comprises: a radio-holster swivel; a drop-leg extender; the radio-holster swivel comprises an attachment member and a swivel head receiver; the drop-leg extender comprises an extender strap and a quick release mechanism; the radio-holster swivel being positioned atop the drop-leg extender; the swivel head being connected onto the attachment member; the extender strap being connected to the quick release mechanism; and the radio-holster swivel and the drop-leg extender being connected to each other through the attachment member and the extender strap.
 2. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises: the attachment member comprises a front portion and a rear portion; the front portion and the rear portion being oppositely positioned from each other; the swivel head receiver being mounted onto the front portion; and the swivel head receiver being oppositely positioned from the rear portion.
 3. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the attachment member being a belt-loop attachment.
 4. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 2 comprises: the attachment member being a belt-fastening attachment; the belt-fastening attachment comprises a first strap and a second strap; the first strap and the second strap being positioned on the rear portion; the first strap being adjacently connected with the front portion; the second strap being adjacently connected with the extender strap; and the first strap and the second strap being attached to each other by a fastening mechanism.
 5. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises: a top half of the extender strap being firmly connected with the attachment member; a bottom half of the extender strap being pivotally connected with the quick release mechanism; and the quick release mechanism being oppositely positioned from the attachment member along the extender strap.
 6. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises: a secondary attachment; the secondary attachment being connected to the radio-holster swivel and the drop-leg extender; and the secondary attachment being adjacently positioned in between the radio-holster swivel and the drop-leg extender.
 7. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 6 comprises: the secondary attachment comprises a stationary member and a fastening member; the stationary member being firmly connected with the attachment member and the extender strap; and the fastening member being pivotally attached with the stationary member.
 8. A multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus comprises: a radio-holster swivel; a drop-leg extender; the radio-holster swivel comprises an attachment member and a swivel head receiver; the drop-leg extender comprises an extender strap and a quick release mechanism; the radio-holster swivel being positioned atop the drop-leg extender; the attachment member comprises a front portion and a rear portion; the front portion and the rear portion being oppositely positioned from each other; the swivel head receiver being mounted onto the front portion; the swivel head receiver being oppositely positioned from the rear portion; the extender strap being connected to the quick release mechanism; and the radio-holster swivel and the drop-leg extender being connected to each other through the attachment member and the extender strap.
 9. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the attachment member being a belt-loop attachment.
 10. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 8 comprises: the attachment member being a belt-fastening attachment; the belt-fastening attachment comprises a first strap and a second strap; the first strap and the second strap being positioned on the rear portion; the first strap being adjacently connected with the front portion; the second strap being adjacently connected with the extender strap; and the first strap and the second strap being attached to each other by a fastening mechanism.
 11. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 8 comprises: a top half of the extender strap being firmly connected with the attachment member; a bottom half of the extender strap being pivotally connected with the quick release mechanism; and the quick release mechanism being oppositely positioned from the attachment member along the extender strap.
 12. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 8 comprises: a secondary attachment; the secondary attachment being connected to the radio-holster swivel and the drop-leg extender; and the secondary attachment being adjacently positioned in between the radio-holster swivel and the drop-leg extender.
 13. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 12 comprises: the secondary attachment comprises a stationary member and a fastening member; the stationary member being firmly connected with the attachment member and the extender strap; and the fastening member being pivotally attached with the stationary member.
 14. A multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus comprises: a radio-holster swivel; a drop-leg extender; the radio-holster swivel comprises an attachment member and a swivel head receiver; the drop-leg extender comprises an extender strap and a quick release mechanism; the radio-holster swivel being positioned atop the drop-leg extender; the attachment member comprises a front portion and a rear portion; the front portion and the rear portion being oppositely positioned from each other; the swivel head receiver being mounted onto the front portion; the swivel head receiver being oppositely positioned from the rear portion; a top half of the extender strap being firmly connected with the attachment member; a bottom half of the extender strap being pivotally connected with the quick release mechanism; and the quick release mechanism being oppositely positioned from the attachment member along the extender strap.
 15. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the attachment member being a belt-loop attachment.
 16. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprises: the attachment member being a belt-fastening attachment; the belt-fastening attachment comprises a first strap and a second strap; the first strap and the second strap being positioned on the rear portion; the first strap being adjacently connected with the front portion; the second strap being adjacently connected with the extender strap; and the first strap and the second strap being attached to each other by a fastening mechanism.
 17. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprises: a secondary attachment; the secondary attachment being connected to the radio-holster swivel and the drop-leg extender; and the secondary attachment being adjacently positioned in between the radio-holster swivel and the drop-leg extender.
 18. The multifunctional utility belt attachment apparatus as claimed in claim 17 comprises: the secondary attachment comprises a stationary member and a fastening member; the stationary member being firmly connected with the attachment member and the extender strap; and the fastening member being pivotally attached with the stationary member. 